Tag Archive | food gardening

Food plants almost ready!

May9

Blandford Farm timed the planting of OKT’s starter food plants so they’d be ready to go in the ground right around Memorial Day.

“We are right on track. We were able to get almost all the herbs to germinate as well,” says Elizabeth Visser, Blandford Farm Manager.  “I still need to pot up the mustard greens. They grow fairly quickly, so I seeded them later than some of the other greens. All the plants will be ready to pick up during the last week of May.”

OKT will be in touch with this year’s growers to let them know when and where they can pick up plants or expect delivery.

OKT distributed hundreds of food plants last Saturday

Jun10

On Saturday, OKT food garden coach and Southeast Area Farmers Market Manager Belinda Henderson and E.D. Lisa Oliver-King distributed hundreds of food plants to participants growing food in their yards as well as food gardens OKT is growing with students and parents/caregivers at Grand Rapids Public Schools Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Academy and Campus Elementary as well as Kentwood Public Schools Glenwood Elementary. A special thank you to our fabulous SEAFM set-up man, Bert, for delivering the plants to the schools!

Program for Growth gardens all set to feed families!

Jun24

Participants of Our Kitchen Table’s Program for Growth are already harvesting some fresh, organic produce from their gardens and looking forward to an abundant summer season.  Ms. Doris shares, “I have collards, turnips, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers and sweet herb [stevia]. I’m just loving it!”

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Photo courtesy Miss Doris and Stephen Smith.

OKT presents at City-sponsored workshop

Jun11

18

Growing: Community Justice and Food
6-9 p.m. Monday June 18
Baxter Community Center, 935 Baxter St. SE 49506

OKT’s executive director, Lisa Oliver-King will talk about growing food–and growing justice–in Grand Rapids’ southeast neighborhoods. The workshop seeks to share how to strengthen relationships and quality of life in these neighborhoods, practice food justice and engage neighbors via a community garden with financial support from the City of Grand Rapids Neighborhood Match Fund (NMF) www.grandrapidsmi.gov/nmf.

The main goals of the NMF are to build stronger connections among residents in neighborhoods, and to address and promote social justice. All projects, including community gardens, must intentionally advance these goals. So if you’re a GR resident interested in starting a community garden to grow community, justice and food – attend this workshop for important tips and strategies.

Free food garden class tonight!

Jun12

How to Plan Your Food Garden, Part 2Deanna 2
6 to 8 p.m. Monday June 12
Garfield Park Lodge
334 Burton SE 49507

Free and open to all!

Are you interested in planting your own urban food garden and don’t know where to start? During this free workshop, you will learn food garden basics with farmer and OKT food garden coach, Leslie Huffman.

Next Monday, June 19, OKT will share how to compost. On June 26, we will talk about how to save seeds from this year’s food garden for the next planting season. These classes take place at the Garfield Parl Lodge from 6 to 8 p.m., as well.

Free “how-to” garden class tonight!

Jul27

Deanna 2How to Plan Your Food Garden
6 – 8 p.m. Monday July 27
Garfield Park Lodge
334 Burton St. SE 49507

Our Kitchen Table is offering its “How to Plan Your Food Garden” tonight. Facilitated by OKT garden coach, Mary Colburn, the class shares tips on soil, planting and caring for food plants, with special emphasis on achieving success in an urban setting. A requirement for OKT residential garden program participants, the free class is open to the public.

Do you want to grow a food garden? Contact OKT today!

Apr1

anita aCall 616-206-3641 or email OKTable1@gmail.com. We will provide:

  • Site visit and garden blueprint. Visits will take place between now and April 15.
  • Plants and seeds to begin your garden.
  • Raised beds and soil.
  • A food garden coach to assist with designing and planting the garden.
  • Garden toolkit

OKT asks our food gardeners to:

  • Attend a food grower orientation in April.
  • Attend three April & May educational workshops.
  • Attend at least one additional OKT event each month, if possible.

OKT primarily works with households with children in eighth grade or younger who are challenged with access to food. Our geographic areas include Baxter, Eastown, Garfield Park and Southtown (SECA) neighborhoods. If you do not live in these area, we will attempt to help within our capacity.